


The Flicker of Firelight in Her Eyes

by intensedreams



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F, and barely a hint of hook, cos fuck that shit, fuck any mention of blandit, i finally finished this jfc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-22 13:40:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11381334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intensedreams/pseuds/intensedreams
Summary: Emma and Regina tumble through a portal into our favourite warrior princess's path. They are going to need some help to get home, and Gabrielle is happy to offer their services!AkaThe kind of crossover that NEEDS to be written.





	The Flicker of Firelight in Her Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> First off, i started writing this a millenia ago and posted some of it so if the first 3k words seem familiar that's cos they are.
> 
> This is set before we knew Regina could sword fight but other than that it's a fairly ambiguous time setting. I've not seen the most recent season and i refuse to do so i can't tie it right in with recent canon. 
> 
> Let me know what you think, feed the bard :D
> 
> And i don't have a beta, so i apologise in advance. I won't have caught all mistakes.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

#  Arriving.

 

It was one of those moments where you just had to take a deep breath and try not to have a goddamned tantrum.  

 

Of course, Emma failed and kicked her heels off the ground in frustration..  

 

“OK, what the hell was that and where are we this time?”  

 

She heard the sigh from Regina somewhere near her head, and rolled over. The brunette was sitting up and had a grimace on her face. She was tentatively touching the back of her head. Emma pushed herself up off the dirt road, brushing off her jeans and held a hand out to the other woman. Regina grabbed it, and groaned as Emma pulled her up. She stumbled, instinctively placing her hands on Emma’s shoulders to steady herself before stepping away slightly, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose.  

 

Emma eyed her with concern, “You ok?”  

 

Regina lowered her head, breathing hard. Her head hurt. She must have smacked it hard when they’d tumbled out of the portal.  

 

“Hey,” Emma prodded, hands drifting up to Regina’s arms before hesitating. “Regina?”  

 

“I’m fine,” The brunette breathed, looking up. They locked eyes for a long moment.

 

Emma shook her head, stepping away. She asked the question on both women’s minds. 

 

“So,” she began, looking around them, “where are we?”  

 

Regina cast her eyes around, noting the heat in the air and the abundant foliage. “I have no idea,” she replied.  

 

They were on a wide dirt path, green shrubbery on both sides. The sky was blue and the day was warm. They could hear the beat of hooves and someone laughing, free and unrestrained.  

 

Horses rounded the bend of the road, a palomino with a brunette astride and a blonde beside her on a dazzling white horse. The brunette wore leather and a golden swirling breast plate.  

 

Regina couldn’t place the image, but there was something familiar about both women. She frowned, narrowing her eyes to try focus her eyes better and racked her brain. Something to do with television.

 

“You have got to be kidding me.” Emma exhaled-laughed in disbelief. Regina looked over her shoulder at the blonde, confusion pulling at her face. “That’s Xena and Gabrielle.”

 

#  Meeting

 

“Greetings,” the little blonde hailed cheerily. The woman on horseback, radiating tension and danger, studied the two women. Her dark eyes flicked back and forth. “Isn’t it a fine day to be out enjoying the fresh air?”

 

Regina turned again, flashing Emma a look she couldn’t read. She took a breath to speak.

 

“Good day, weary travellers,” Regina’s head whipped around as Emma stepped forward, interrupting her. She cringed. “We are new in this land.”

 

“Yes,” The little blonde laughed, “you certainly don’t look like you are from around here.” She looked up at her dark companion, sharing a look.

 

Emma took a moment to assess the outfit Gabrielle was wearing, and her hair length. They had been together for a few years, Emma reckoned, hurriedly thinking through her Xena sessions she’d had when she was younger. Post India at the very least, noting the shorter hair. She didn’t know if that was good or bad, but information would be helpful. She was pretty sure even Regina would be semi-proud of her detective skills. She prepared to throw caution to the wind, readying herself to go against the inbuilt instinct to not share herself or her problems. It was Xena and Gabrielle though, her childhood happy place. How could she not? She opened her mouth to try and explain.

 

“Why don’t you come with us?” Gabrielle piped up, before Emma had managed to utter a word. “We are making camp a few leagues along the road, Xena knows a place. And it’s dangerous to be out on the road when it gets dark.”

 

Emma and Regina shared a brief look and a nod, before accepting Gabrielle’s offer.

“Well, we  _ are _ new here,” Regina nodded conspiringly to Emma. “We wouldn’t want to get lost.”

 

Xena inclined her head once, before speaking for the first time.

 

“We will make better time if you ride with us.” She held her arm out to Emma, and sighed impatiently when the blonde did nothing but stare at her hand. “Up,” she prompted, and hefted the other woman up behind her.

 

Emma settled awkwardly in behind the warrior woman, trying to ignore the way her hips were snug against brown leather and denim clad thighs pressed against sun kissed ones. Horse riding was not a strong point of Emma’s, the last time she had been on one of the massive beasts was a rare birthday party, long ago. She looked around for somewhere to put her hands.

 

“You can hold on to me, I’m sure you are no threat,” the woman in front rumbled with amusement, and Emma fought the blush as she snaked her arms around Xena’s –  _ Xena’s! _ – waist. She looked over to see Regina settling in behind Gabrielle in a similar fashion, regal as ever, albeit dusty.

 

Emma tensed as the horse started to move under her, arms tightening around Xena’s waist.

 

“It’s ok,” the other woman reassured, looking over her shoulder. Emma found herself looking into the sharpest blue eyes she’d ever seen. “Just move with me, relax.” Emma forced herself to lose some tension, allowing her hips to start moving with the rhythm of woman and horse, and found herself grinning at the soft noise of approval from the brunette in front.

 

She turned to look back at the other horse, Gabrielle talking non-stop and Regina peering over her shoulder with an indulgent look on her face. The kind of look she had for Henry, or Neal, and on occasion her parents.

 

More often these days, the kind of look Emma found directed her way.

 

She turned back to facing the warriors back, craning her neck to see over a leather clad shoulder, and started to think about the situation they were in.

 

Regina and her had been investigating some magical residue in the woods, the scent of magic and chaos everywhere. A powerful source, Regina had said, her eyes sharp and calculating. A rustle in the plants, a flash of white and bam – here they were – riding with two women of fictional brilliance.

 

Then again, Emma thought, that’s what Regina was supposed to have been. But Regina was very, very real. She was reminded of Jefferson and his snide comment about her arrogance in assuming there was only one world.

 

The horse sidestepped a branch on the road, jostling Emma from her thoughts and she gripped Xena’s leathers again.

 

“Alright?”

 

Emma hummed her assent, deciding not to look down at the ground again for a while, it was disorientating and damn she was high up.

 

“It’s just… very new…” She trailed off, unsure how much to reveal at this point. Xena was a hero from her crappy childhood, one of those few happy moments in a litany of general crap. She remembered being curled up in her threadbare blankets some Sunday mornings watching the warrior princess and her sidekick righting wrongs, singing songs and falling more in love with each other. Something in that resonated with her, deep inside, but she hadn’t really understood until she’d kissed a girl for the first time and felt awareness flooding her.

 

“It’s ok, we will make camp soon. You can tell us more about your journey.”

 

Emma took a steadying breath, and relaxed, trusting in the woman she clung on to, and the stories she used to tell herself in her head, long after she’d been shouted away from the TV.

*

“You don’t talk much, do you?”

 

Regina smiled tightly at the woman in front. She was charmed by Gabrielle, but her head was pounding. The blonde had not stopped talking since Regina had allowed herself to be helped up onto the horse’s back, and Regina was furiously trying to remember what she knew of the heroic couple. The curse had frozen her in a time before the television show but she had caught the odd episode in reruns since it broke.

 

Not that she would have made that information public if she could’ve help it.

 

Warrior Princess. Redeemed (seeking redemption) villain, with a dark past.

Sounded familiar, Regina smirked.

 

“I’m just a little overwhelmed to be honest,” she responded, feeling her headache turn into a migraine and start clawing at everything behind her eyes.

 

“Where are you from?”

 

“Far away,” Regina ground out, snappier than she meant to be. God her head hurt.

 

“It’s Ok, I get it,” Gabrielle’s tone never losing its friendly warmth. The blonde twisted to look Regina in the eye. “You running from something?”

 

“We’re… lost,” was the explanation Regina decided on. “I’m not sure how we got here.”

 

“You going to keep on with that half-truth?”

 

Regina quickly covered up the shock on her face. She had a good poker face and considered herself quite the expert at lying. She raised an eyebrow instead.

 

“It’s ok, I know lost souls when I see them. You are clearly not from our world.” 

 

Gabrielle patted Regina’s forearm where it rested against her waist as though the words out her mouth weren’t ridiculous. “You should trust us though. We might be able to help you.”

 

Regina said nothing, a bolt of pain slicing through her head, making her grimace momentarily. She let Gabrielle talk on, the blonde’s enthusiasm and warmth infectious and making Regina smile in spite of herself. Her eyes met Emma’s when the blonde turned precariously to check on them. She smiled at her, the concern from the blonde warming a place inside. That happened often these days, she mused.

*

They had indeed stopped a short ride along the road, the sun laying low in the sky. Xena had led them through the trees into a small clearing, with a stream running nearby. She and Gabrielle had set about setting up their camp, Gabrielle instructing Emma and Regina to gather firewood before. Xena had disappeared for a while before appearing again with a couple of rabbits and Gabrielle had set about preparing them for eating.

 

Finally, the fire crackled merrily, throwing a warm light on the women sitting around it. Xena walked the camp perimeter one more time before returning to the others company. The night was dark, a little chilly, but the heat from the fire kept the cold at bay, illuminating them, and casting a faint light on the trees around them.

 

The warrior had noticed Regina pressing her fingers to her head and jabbed her fingers into the skin behind her ears - Regina had opened her mouth to reprimand the other woman but stopped when the pounding behind her eyes immediately began to abate.

 

“How did you… of course, pressure points,” Regina sighed with relief. “Thank you.” 

 

Xena nodded, smiling before gracefully settling down beside Gabrielle and stretching her long legs out.

 

“So.” Xena focussed on Emma and Regina. “Tell us your story.” Her tone invited no lies and Emma felt a shiver go down her spine as she remembered that Xena would just  _ know _ if they lied.

 

Emma licked her lips and after a nod from Regina, started to tell their story. Well, the basics. As strange as they were.

 

Both Xena and Gabrielle nodded and took Emma seriously as words like “magic,” and “portals” spilled from her lips, and she guessed it was a blessing that of all the places she could have been catapulted to, she ended up with these two. She found herself telling them about the storybook and she met Regina’s eyes, seeing the subtle nod of permission as she told of other worlds and stories, characters being real, an evil queen and a curse. They accepted that they were stories in Emma’s world too – Gabrielle looking at Xena smugly when the scrolls being retold worldwide was mentioned.

 

“So in summary,” Regina interrupted Emma, “we  _ are _ lost, and we are not sure how to get home.”

 

“Quite the story,” Xena mused.

 

“You definitely could use some help,” Gabrielle said, looking to the brunette. Xena nodded. “We will help you. Or we will help you find someone who can help you.”

 

“I think it best to first get you both some different clothes,” Xena advised, nodding at their attire that set them instantly apart. “So that will be the goal for tomorrow.”

 

“We should go to Swenidea, it’s nearby,” ventured Gabrielle to Xena who inclined her head once more. “Aphrodite will help us, but we need to go to one of her temples to speak to her,” the blonde thought out loud.

 

“Can’t we just say the gods names to summon them?” Regina asked.

 

The faintest of blushes made its way across Xena’s face and she clasped a hand to the back of her neck before straightening up, sniffing sharply and looking out into the 

forest.

 

“Oh that’s right, you killed a lot of the pantheon didn’t you,” flew past Emma’s teeth before she thought about it and she flinched as Xena’s gaze zeroed in on her. 

 

Regina threw her hands up and sighed, exasperated.

 

Gabrielle placed her hand on Xena’s thigh before delicately saying, “she isn’t exactly talking to us right now. At least not enough to come when called for. But I’m sure,” Gabrielle eagerly pointed out, nodding earnestly “that she will help us when she hears your plight.”

 

Emma sat back, satisfied to have a sort of plan in place.

 

“One thing,” the warrior warned, “don’t tell us our story. It’s lucky the twilight of the gods has passed.”

 

Gabrielle laid her hand on Xena’s bicep, “Yes, please don’t tell us anything that’s to come.”

 

Emma ducked her head and murmured an apology. They spoke sense. They were essentially from the future. Or something.

 

Oh boy her head started to spin.

**

Gabrielle settled herself down next to her love, leaning close and pressing a quick kiss to a high cheekbone. Xena rolled her eyes but didn’t pull away or anything, instead turning her head to look at the blonde.

 

“Everything ok?” Xena asked, with words and with a measured glance, before turning her eyes back to the other women talking quietly on the other side of the fire. She could hear words, names. They were both concerned for a Henry and the warmth emanating from both women on the utterance of that name told Xena he was very important. A son? A husband? The blonde put her hand on the brunette’s shoulder, and squeezed it. The brunette swayed slightly towards Emma, the blonde. Not a husband then.

 

“Yeah, what do you make of our new friends?”

 

Xena quirked an eyebrow. “What do  _ you _ make of them?” She pressed her arm against Gabrielle’s, the warmth radiating between their skin.

 

“I know those looks.” Gabrielle fought the smug look on her face, and Xena ducked her head, smiling. “But  _ now _ we know what those looks mean.” She grinned and caught Xena’s hand, entwining her fingers with her lover’s longer ones. She would never get over the marvel of doing so, of being able to be close to her love, her soul mate. In this life and the next.

 

She breathed her scent in. Leather. Salt. The slight acrid burn of metal. Something indescribably Xena. The brunette hummed her pleasure, bringing up their joined hands and pressing a kiss to the back of Gabrielle’s. She pulled the younger woman closer, settling her arm around a strong waist and let an extremely discreet purr escape as Gabrielle lay her head on Xena’s shoulder.

 

“We’ve been together forever,” Xena whispered, in agreement, before she trailed her hand down. “But it took us a long time to figure out those looks. A long time and a few death experiences, Gabrielle.”

 

Gabrielle chuckled quietly, pulling her furs around herself and draping them along Xena’s back. The chill of the night started to set in, and they stayed together watching the fire and enjoying the simple pleasure of being close.

 

**

 

“What do you think they are talking about?” Regina asked quietly, eyeing the couple curled up together. The firelight flickered, painting their skin in warm tones, and something inside Regina felt full and satisfied to be in the presence of such serenity. 

 

There was something elegant and timeless about them.

 

Emma snorted, breaking Regina from her thoughtful observations. “Ancient gods, warlords and kings.” She turned sombre after a disbelieving shake of her head.

 

Regina looked at her with a smirk.

 

“I never took you for a Xena watcher, Regina,” Emma said.

 

The brunette shrugged, leaning back on her hands. Emma tried her best not to notice the way the other woman’s shirt showed shadowy cleavage.

 

It was a thing she aggressively didn’t let her eyes get drawn to in Storybrooke.

 

“Why not? Strong woman trying to redeem herself from an evil past?”

 

Emma huffed out a breath of amusement. “Yeah ok, I get your point.”

 

“I’m a… fan… of leather.” Emma was pretty sure her heart skipped a beat at the brunette’s momentarily wicked smirk as her train of thought was ruthlessly interrupted and she was assaulted by images of Regina in her Evil Queen get up.

 

“I could never get over how in  _ love _ they were,” Emma smiled fondly.

 

“Beats your parents love story tenfold,” Regina snarked. Emma held her eyes a moment before shrugging and agreeing, good naturedly.

 

“It’s getting cold…” Emma ventured after a moment, eyeing the dying embers of the fire, and the dark forest surrounding them. Xena had thrown a bedroll at them earlier saying they would have to share but it would keep them warm, and this had been marinating at the back of her mind all evening. She looked over to the couple on the other side of the fire, Xena at the back of Gabrielle, both facing the fire. They both appeared to be asleep now, curled up together, but Emma knew that appearances - especially when It came to the warrior princess - could be deceiving. She was probably able to hear everything they said. “We should maybe think about sleeping.” Emma pointed to the bedroll she’d laid out in preparation.

 

Regina eyed it speculatively, before agreeing, and moving over to the side of the blanket next to the fire.

 

Of course she would go for the warmer side.

 

Emma tentatively slid as close as she could without touching, and lay on her back beside the other woman, drawing the furs over them both. It was a tight fit, and Emma chose to make sure that Regina definitely had everything covered, even if it meant Emma’s arm was hanging out.

 

A cold arm wasn’t the end of the world.

 

Emma closed her eyes, adjusting herself to the sounds and smells of a new world. Or an older world… whatever… and trusted in their newfound companions to wake and warn them of any threats during the night.

 

#  Waking

 

“So, what are your fighting capabilities?”

 

“I am pretty handy with a sword,” Emma said, not puffing out her chest  _ at all _ . She liked to think she could handle herself. Especially considering the level of skill she remembered any swordsman having on the show.

 

Xena turned appraisingly to Regina who wore a look of supreme confidence. “And you?”

 

“You don’t have to worry about me, I have many skills.” Regina held her hand out, and a few sparks flew from her palm. She shook it before trying again. The same result.

 

Xena’s eyebrow arched and she deadpanned, “impressive.”

 

Gabrielle backhanded Xena’s arm. “I’m assuming it’s not supposed to do that?”

 

Emma snorted.

 

Regina sighed. “No, I have some capabilities with magic in my world but it appears to be throttled here. I can feel it but I can’t access it, there’s only a trickle coming through.” She shook her hand, frustrated. “What about yours Emma?”

 

Emma tried the same trick, summoning only a few sparks before shrugging. “Good thing I can use a sword, I guess.”

 

“Not all of us are so fortunate,” Regina bit out, irritated to be the lesser fighting force on the team.

 

She was already in a sour mood born out of embarrassment from waking up with a saviour wrapped around her. What made it worse was how she had acknowledged who it was then had sank back into the comforting, safe, warmth for a second before realizing. A momentary weakness because they were in unfamiliar lands.

 

Yes.

 

That was definitely it.

 

She hadn’t stretched and soothingly pushed her backside against the warm body behind.

 

Hadn’t woken up warmer and more rested than she had in years.

 

And definitely hadn’t run her hands along the arms encircling her and threaded her fingers through Emma’s for a second.

 

_ Definitely not. _

 

She did not  _ snuggle. _

 

Regina pursed her lips.

 

Xena held her hands out soothingly. “It’s ok, I just need you to try and keep out of any skirmishes we may end up in. If anything, do  _ not _ pick up a weapon. It just makes 

you a target.”

 

Regina wanted to argue but she saw the sense. She crossed her arms and huffed out her agreement.

 

“Okay, now that’s sorted, let’s get moving. We are a few hours ride from the nearest settlement. Let’s ride as we did before,” Xena said before moving to start packing up the camp. The others followed suit and helped gather their things efficiently, keen to get on with their quest.

 

Emma settled herself in again behind Xena, letting her hands fall to the warrior’s waist with a bit more confidence than she had done the day before. She forced herself to relax as the horse started to move again and the group started on its journey.

 

**

 

Gabrielle turned and caught Regina’s eye before turning back towards the sight of the blonde and brunette astride the horse in front.

 

“So tell me about yourself, Regina.”

 

“What do you want to know?” Regina replied, cautiously, ever mindful of her history and people’s usual reactions to her .Emma had tactfully left out that  _ she _ was the Evil Queen in the story she’d told them earlier. 

 

“Well, where do you come from? Emma told us some details yesterday but of course there is more. I can tell you are of noble blood. You were practically raised on a horse I think. You and Emma-“

 

“What about us?” Regina interrupted.

 

“What about you?” Gabrielle drawled slyly, catching Regina’s eye over her shoulder again briefly.

 

Regina felt the terrifying coiling of emotion she was struck with whenever she contemplated whatever her and Emma  _ were –  _ It was something she tried not to dwell on outside the moments where they were forced together. Because it was ridiculous. She’d cursed Leroy for suggesting such a thing once - he’d burped up slugs for a week.

 

Her and the savior.

 

Laughable.

 

It was something that simmered inside her, filling her with warmth in those moments. But it was Emma and her, and that thought poured terror down her spine and into her feet. Made her chest tight.

 

Emma was the closest friend, ally, confident – whatever you wanted to call it – Regina had been blessed to have since she was a young woman, since before her mother had stripped away all friendly faces in her ruthless and brutal quest for Regina to be queen.

 

“I am noble-born. I was a queen.”

 

Gabrielle nodded in front of her. “Yes, Emma said as much when she told us your tale. I could tell from your bearing straight away.”

 

“And i am the mayor of the town we live in.”

 

“Oh… you were the queen in the story?”

 

Regina braced herself for judgement before replying. “Yes.”

 

Gabrielle continued on, like what Regina had shared wasn’t something to be damned for. “I see. What is it like, this Storybrooke?” 

 

“Well,” Regina looked with wonder at the back of the other woman’s head for a long moment before turning to the subject of the town. She did always feel a slight swell of pride when she talked about her home - she did after all create the place. She told Gabrielle about the coastline, the wide streets, the seagulls and the sounds of the boats at anchor.

 

She found herself telling the blonde about Henry, about raising him in the idyllic town, about him skinning his knee when he was learning to ride his bike without stabilisers and how Regina had freaked out and hidden it for six whole months before she’d found him sailing down the road laughing with such joy she didn’t have the heart to take the bike away from him.

 

Regina thought about her home, her town - the people and the places and found she missed it terribly. Memories of regular meals with Emma and Henry - whether home cooked together or at the diner. Of Snow even, stopping by for coffee and for her son to completely ignore her for the length of time he was in the same space as Regina. 

 

“Why are both my children enamoured with you?” She’d mused once before over a pot of tea. Regina had taken a slight strop and constructed a one sided argument and told an infuriatingly knowing looking Snow to leave.

 

She missed the other members of her family. 

 

#  Shopping

 

Emma had hungrily eyed every detail of the busy town as they slowly rode between low, rough buildings. The roads were dirt, the people, dirty, but happy looking. It appeared to be a bustling centre of activity. Children ran about, laughing. Dogs frolicked in the side streets, barking. The citizens went about the day, a natural stream of people leading to what appeared to be a busy, chaotic marketplace.

 

The noise struck Emma, it was so different. No cars. Horses neighing. Everything seemed clearer, rougher, more organic.

 

“We can tie up here whilst we get what we need,” Xena broke Emma’s train of thought, and she turned where she sat to look at Emma, prompting her to slide off the back of the horse.

 

Regina let out a sharp bark of laughter at Emma as she slid ungracefully to the ground. Emma flashed her a threatening look, before she broke into a bashful grin. The brunette dismounted with infinite more grace, Gabrielle sliding down behind her. 

 

Finally, Xena dropped from the horse too, and she tethered both horses to the stand.

“Gabrielle,” Xena called over the blonde. “Can you sort Emma and Regina out with what they need? I’ll be in there,” she stuck her thumb over her shoulder and smirked.

 

“The inn Xena, really?”

 

“Well, you know shopping is more your arena of talent,” Xena flashed a winning smile.

 

“I’ll go with you,” Emma supplied, eager to soak in more of the people and the bubbly vibe she was getting from the town.

 

Gabrielle smiled and beckoned her to follow before departing with a warning to Xena to behave.

 

“Come on Regina,” Xena said, as the blonde women walked off towards the bustle of the marketplace. “Let’s get some seats and some food for everyone. They will be hungry when they are done. Gabrielle is insatiable after shopping.”

 

Regina raised her eyebrows at the last comment and eyed Xena’s retreating back before glancing towards the two blondes still in sight. She would not blush at the double entendre. She wouldn’t think about Emma and her appetites when eating. 

 

She wouldn’t think about the groans of delight that normally made her clench her thighs together at meals they shared. She wouldn’t.

 

Regina shook her head and headed into the dark light of the tavern, seeking the warrior.

 

A burly, dirty man stood and stumbled over.

 

“Hey pretty lady, lookin’ for a good-“

 

Regina brushed past him haughtily. “Save it,” she said, before sitting down across from Xena who laughed lightly behind her mug of ale she’d already procured. She pushed one across to Regina who gratefully took a sip.

 

Not bad. Not her preferred homemade cider but still, not bad.

 

“Hey now,” the man’s voice said from behind. A meaty hand clapped on her shoulder, and Regina put her drink down, quelling the urge to shudder or summon a fireball. Her fingers curled. She turned and fixed the man with the iciest stare she could muster, the kind that would make her guards of old lose control of their bladders. Not that she had done that often.

 

The man’s eyes widened and he backed away, his hands up in surrender. “Okay okay, message received.”

 

Regina sighed and turned back to the other brunette who was looking at her appraisingly.

 

“Very impressive, Regina,” Xena said, raising her mug to tap it lightly against Regina’s. “So tell me, Gabrielle said you were no stranger to horses. Have you any in your world?”

 

Regina launched into talking about her love for the great beasts, about her Rocinante. She talked with sadness about taking the heart of the thing she loved the most. Xena didn’t speak, and just listened attentively, which Regina appreciated. She didn’t know why she was spilling her feelings about an old horse to a relative stranger, but she felt safe and comfortable with Xena. It was an alien feeling.

 

They traded back and forth tales of their horses, consuming more ale, until they were both breathlessly laughing.

 

“Having a party without us?” Emma smiled as she arrived back and saw the carefree smile on Regina’s face. She’d never seen her smile so freely around anyone other than Henry and on occasion herself, late at night.

 

Regina hiccupped and moved over, making room for Emma whilst Gabrielle slid in next to Xena across from them.

 

“I got us what we need. Dried food for the journey to the temple and clothes, for you two,” she indicated Emma and Regina. “You both kind of stick out like a sore thumb.”

 

“That we do,” Emma smiled, looking at herself in her red jacket.

 

“We should be on our way as soon as possible,” Xena stated, finishing her drink and making to stand.

 

“Wait just a minute, Xena,” Gabrielle put her hand on the other woman’s thigh, keeping her down. “Emma and I have been working hard getting everything we need for our journeys. You can get us some drinks to relax at the very least.”

 

Emma grinned at the slightly chagrined look on the warrior’s face at the blonde’s amused scolding.

 

“Um, yeah, right,” the tall woman huffed before scratching the back of her neck and going to the barkeep.

 

“Warriors, always got their mind on the mission,” Gabrielle quipped fondly.

 

#  Ogling 

 

The group travelled on for a few hours after eating and drinking their fill, and stopped in another clearing Xena had found for them. Emma and Regina gingerly changed into the new clothing that had been procured for them. Emma couldn’t keep her eyes off all the  _ leg _ that was bare from mid-thigh down on Regina. The other woman had  _ legs _ . Legs that Emma had briefly daydreamed about from time to time. The kind that stopped her mid-speech sometimes when she saw Regina wearing skirts and heels and  - Emma tore her gaze away from toned thighs and instead looked up at Regina’s eyes who jumped up to meet her own – her cheeks taking on the faintest hue of red.

 

Emma was clad in a short skirt too, but where Regina’s top half was covered with blue material which fell around her shoulders, Emma’s midriff was left bared to the elements, reminiscent of Gabrielle’s green sports bra like top from the earlier seasons... the BGSB as Emma recalled from various Xena groups she had ventured onto. Emma had abs. She wasn’t vain by any means, Emma had no problem wandering around with yesterday's eyeliner still on or in sweatpants but she was somewhat  _ proud _ of her toned stomach.

 

_ Interesting. She wasn’t looking too... was she? _

 

Emma was distracted out of her surprised thoughts by Xena announcing she was going for a walk to make sure the camp was hidden enough. She purposely sat by the fire, feeling a little naked, and exposed. She was wearing less than she usually did, in fairness.

 

Gabrielle sorted through a few bags on the other side of the fire and Regina wandered off, out of Emma’s line of sight. She needed to clear her head of the other woman before she started sliding into places she couldn’t deal with. Especially when they were trapped away from the safety and comfort of home.

 

“So, our stories are carried on?” Gabrielle looked at Emma expectantly, as she sat down suddenly next to her. Emma, startled for a moment, well, Emma blushed, thinking of the camp, ridiculous nature of some of the show. She nodded anyway, smiling.

 

“Yeah, the scrolls were found, and translated into widely broadcast performances. It’s difficult to explain,” Emma finished, feeling like she’d done justice to explaining television to an ancient greek warrior, as worldly and open minded as she was. She sipped some water from the skin Gabrielle handed her.

 

“And have you been with Regina for long? You both have a strong bond with each other.”

 

Emma immediately spat out the water, and coughed.

 

“No! I mean – She – Regina and I – We are not together. She’s the mother of my son.”

 

“Oh,” Gabrielle smirked, “I see.” Her eyes flicked towards the brunette lurking at the edge of the clearing, leaning against a tree.

 

Emma nodded furiously. “She’s my friend. We work well together.”

 

“Yes I see that.”

 

“And besides I’m not even sure if she… if she-“ Emma put the brakes on her almost word-vomit.

 

“Likes the same sex?”

 

“Um,” Emma felt like she’d regressed to some gawky teenager talking embarrassedly to an enquiring adult. “I guess so.”

 

“I see,” Gabrielle nodded, smiling, her eyes darting back and forth between the two women.

 

Emma breathed an internal sigh of relief as the subject was changed to something easier, Henry.

 

“He’s a storyteller too, actually,” Emma said with pride.

 

Gabrielle’s eyes lit up. “Tell me more!”

 

**

 

Regina leaned against the tree at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed. She relaxed, letting her eyes wander over the two blondes talking near the fire. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but she relished the sounds of unadulterated nature. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind and braced to turn, her hand curled instinctively to summon a stuttering fireball.

 

“Hold, It’s just me,” Xena said smoothly, appearing from the darkness and coming to stand next to Regina, propping herself against the same tree. They both fell into silence, watching the other two women who continued talking oblivious to their audience.

 

“I see a person with a great deal of darkness on their shoulders, and a person willing to see beyond that.”

 

Regina looked over at Xena, her face a careful mask. “What?”

 

“You heard me,” Xena replied, shrugging. She crossed her arms amiably. They both looked towards the centre of the little clearing, the fire, the two blondes. “I know your struggles; I’ve seen my own battles with demons in your eyes.”

 

“What do you mean someone willing – Emma’s not –“

 

“Emma’s your  _ friend _ ,” Xena said evenly, an eyebrow raising.

 

Regina frowned, “Yes, she is but what do you-“

 

Xena turned and clapped her hand to Regina’s shoulder. “You’ll see it soon, warrior.”

 

Regina pondered the other woman’s words as the night wore on, listening to Gabrielle’s tales with half an ear as they ate the dinner Xena provided and readied for bed.

 

She quickly claimed the side of the bedroll nearest to the fire once more, more keenly aware of the lesser amount of clothing she was wearing this time. Emma scooted in behind her, gingerly laying the furs over them both and carefully edging herself up closely behind Regina, not quite touching. Regina studiously ignored the pounding of her heart. So what if she was having a physical reaction to having someone nearby. It had been a long time.

 

_ That’s not it,  _ sang her traitorous inner voice, whispering into her deepest thoughts.

 

She dozed fitfully, waking up with Emma breathing gently on her neck and she had to suppress the shiver of arousal as hot air fluttered across her sensitive skin. She could feel something else, the same heat as the morning before - her eyes opening wide as she realised; her  _ magic _ . It was there, buzzing under her skin… where she could touch it.  She roughly jerked away a few inches, huddling closer to the dying embers of the fire in the cold air of the night and she tried to ignore the warmth quickly leaving her flesh. She shivered and closed her eyes briefly as Emma’s arm tightened around her midriff, gently tempting her back in towards the blonde.

 

_ For christ’s sake. _

 

Regina resolutely stayed curled forward for as long as she was awake, curled towards the fire. She was not going to voluntarily seek the comfort that Emma’s arms brought. Nope. That way lay heartbreak and uncomfortable feelings and frankly, risking something that Regina viewed as precious and important. And she was absolutely not going to think about  _ why _ her magic was flaring wildly and very much within reach when she was in physical contact with the blonde. She spent so long scoffing at the idea of her and Emma being friends – the idea being preposterous – that now she did view them as such, anything, even an escalation of that was a  _ threat _ to this precious friendship they had.

 

It didn’t help that she woke up firmly ensconced in the blonde’s arms once more, woke up to Gabrielle’s knowing grin and Xena’s quirked eyebrow before slipping from Emma’s arms.

 

Besides, there were more important things at stake, like getting home to Henry.

#  Planning

 

It took several days of travel, luckily with no incidents, to reach the temple Xena had indicated. “If we stay here, Aphrodite should come and talk to us.”

 

“Should,” Gabrielle echoed, looking around wistfully at the dusty interior.

 

“Gabrielle,” Xena intoned quietly, pulling her to the side. Emma averted her eyes, suddenly interested in examining the murals on the walls. They were very… intimate… she realised. Regina had drifted over to her side.

 

“It’s not your fault, and she has forgiven you,” Emma heard Xena say quietly to the other blonde.

 

“Is that… the kama sutra?” Regina asked bluntly, inspecting the images depicted on the walls. Emma choked.

 

“Um, yeah, I guess so. I mean she’s the goddess of love.”

 

“ _ That _ isn’t even physically possible,” Regina scoffed.

 

Emma just stared at the other woman, mouth going dry. “I-“

 

“Well!” A loud voice boomed from further inside the temple. “Who do we have here?”

 

A man with a dark head of hair and enough leather to satisfy a stereotype sat, legs slung over the side of the ornate throne at the far end of the room.

 

“Ares,” Xena said, warily. “ We are here to see your sister.”

 

“What, not here to see me?” He sighed dramatically and jumped up from the seat. 

 

“Xena,” he glided over to the warrior, breathing her in. She stood stoically, her face turning superior.. 

 

“I’m hurt.”

 

Xena hummed and pushed him away. “Ares. Aphrodite. Will she come here?”

 

“Wait just a minute Xena, you are always so straight to business. Who is  _ this?”  _ Ares prowled over to Regina, circling her like someone circling prize livestock. “The darkness is practically wafting off of her.” He leaned in and sniffed dark hair. “Gods, incredible. What a high.” He smiled, wolfishly.

 

“Ares,” Xena growled, hand curling into a tight fist. “That is not what we are here for.”

 

The man ignored the warriors words and made a noise of approval, his fingers resting on his lips. “I can practically taste the passion, the power. Xena, you might have competition-“

 

“Hey pal-“ Emma pushed in between the subtly preening brunette and the sleazy one. “Back off.”

 

“Oh hello there,” Ares said assessing, “another feisty blonde. Xena where do you find them?”

 

“Ares,” Xena growled, warningly.

 

“Tell you what, I will help you all with whatever you need but I get this one here.”

 

“No!” Xena replied with an exasperated tone.

 

“Absolutely not,” Emma cried, outraged.

 

“Excuse me?” Regina growled, pushing past Emma and locking eyes with the god. “I think you will find that I am in control of my fate.”

 

Ares threw his head back and laughed, loud and long and deep. “You keep telling yourself that whilst you do nothing to protest that statement.”

 

Emma eyed Regina as the brunette bristled and opened her mouth, drawing breath to argue. Emma knew that look.

 

“Look, we need your help, Ares,” Emma jumped in before Regina could verbally eviscerate the god. “We are from another world and we need Aphrodite's help to get home.”

 

“Well, that’s a terrible shame, since dear sis is out of action these days.”

 

“What do you mean?” Gabrielle growled warningly, her hands fisting. Xena reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

 

“There’s a hot new talent on the rise you see,” Ares began, inspecting his nails. “Names Smagamadeus. He’s got her held prisoner. He’s been taking slaves from nearby villages. Enterprising man.”

 

“And why haven’t you rescued her?” Gabrielle cried, shaking her head and storming up to the god.. Xena rolled her eyes.

 

“Not my problem,” Ares shrugged, “besides, he’s got a magical set of chains that even gods can’t break. Sis was stupid enough to get caught. I’m not making the same mistake.”

 

Gabrielle turned away, muttering about the absolute selfishness of some gods. 

 

“I’m curious though,” the dark god started, “why can’t i help you?”

 

Both Xena and Gabrielle answered at the same time - “Because your price would be too high.”

 

Ares chuckled, miming hurt, “why, you wound me. Anyway. Got to go, war to wage, violence to inspire. Laters.” He disappeared in a shower of light, leaving the women alone in the dusty temple. 

 

Xena sighed. “Okay, we should travel towards this warlord's camp and then when we make camp i will go scout it out alone.”

 

“But i-”

 

“Gabrielle i want you to stay with our friends here just in case. I don’t want anything happening to them that we can prevent.” The blonde quietened and nodded, looking to Emma and Regina.

 

“Lets gather our things and get out of here.”

 

#  Interlude

 

When they made camp that night, Regina, dark in mood ever since the god of war had eyed her like a juicy steak, sought Xena’s company out. She found her contemplating the moon briefly down by a small stream, the thick trees opening up into a small clearing that was bathed in moonlight. 

 

“Xena may i ask you something?”

 

The brunette grunted, tossing a pebble into the bubbling water. 

 

“What set you down your path of darkness?” Regina’s eyes studied the other brunettes face, darkened by shadow.

 

Xena was silent for a good few moments before she replied. 

 

“My brother was killed. Something inside, it just snapped. Short story is I went on a rampage of destruction. Power was my passion. Glory. Greed. I dealt in death and fear...” she trailed off, her face turning towards the bright, bright moon.

 

“I lost… my first love.” Regina was aware of the world quietening, as though everything, the tree’s, animals, bushes were all turning their ears to her in attention. “He was killed, and I was made a queen. I was made very unhappy, and I was lost, alone, and hurting for a long time. And it just built to a point where all I could do was attack, retaliate. I killed so many.”

 

“As did I on my quest for greatness, for glory, Regina.” The warrior reached out and squeezed Regina’s arm. “We do the things we do, and the thing that separates us from the darkness is the deeds we choose to do after. I spend every day trying to redeem myself for the actions I did back then. I won’t ever be finished. It’s one of the reasons I’m so grateful for Gabrielle. She doesn’t make me stay on this path, that is down to me… but she helps. And she came into my life at such a low point. I was done. She was like… I don’t know,” Xena sighed, “a sign, that I was doing the right thing.”

 

Regina nodded, thinking about her own journey. It was hard sometimes, when the instinct to destroy raised it’s ugly head and she had to think long and hard about what Henry’s reaction would be.

 

What Emma’s reaction would be.

 

“Anyway, we should turn in for the night. We have a long day front of us.”

 

Regina bade goodnight to the warrior who squeezed her shoulder before melting into the night. She sighed, shaking her head, wondering if her journey would ever be over. Probably not. She’d committed so many wrongs, and sometimes the weight of it got to her. But for Henry, she would suffer it forever.

 

 

#  Capture

 

Xena had left the little campsite before sunrise to scout the warlord's camp, leaving the other woman to follow at a more relaxed pace. Gabrielle knew where to meet up with the warrior, and Emma and Regina were content to follow for the time being. They walked along the dusty road, enjoying the air and the sunlight. Regina stretched with pleasure at the sunshine warming her muscles and Emma tried hard not to let her eyes get too attached to the curve of the brunettes waist. 

 

It was well past midday when they ran into trouble, and some in true Xena Warrior Princess style, a group of men burst out from the woods, brandishing swords and staffs and no good intentions.

 

Emma ducked and parried with her sword, trying to keep an eye on the group of men edging towards Regina. She breathed a sigh of relief when Gabrielle jumped between swords and the angry brunette, who was trying to summon a fireball from the way she was shaking her hand. 

 

With Regina protected for the moment, Emma could focus on taking down the two dusty soldiers facing her with a snarl. She lashed out at a grizzled face with a foot, causing the man’s head to snap back, dropping him to the floor and turned to catch the blade descending on her with her own. 

 

Suddenly there were more cries of battle and Emma fell to the ground as something impossibly hard hit the back of her head. Her vision gave out for a second, and she frantically shook her head, blinking. More figures surrounded them.

 

“Emma!”

 

She slowly raised her head, jerking as hands grabbed her, roughly hauling her up. “This one is good,” a rough voice spoke, breathlessly, from behind. Emma was trying to make sense of the spinning world as something was pulled over her head. She ducked, pulling back, forcing her elbow into the midriff of the person behind. Her arms were grabbed and she felt herself become weightless as she was lifted, thrown over a shoulder. Her head hurt so bad, and the metal of the mans armour was digging into the soft flesh of her abdomen and thighs. 

 

“Emma!”

 

The calls from Regina disappeared with a pained cry, and Emma tried to call back, but her lips were slow, a mere whisper of the brunettes name slipping out. She felt everything going dark, dark, as she was carried off down that dusty road.

 

**

 

Regina jerked awake. She coughed, dust in her mouth and dirt on her skin. 

 

“Regina,” Xena knelt beside the sprawled out woman, a hand moving to press the back of Regina’s head. “Are you okay? Did you hit your head?” Deft, gentle fingers pressed insistently before Regina batted them away, groaning as she slowly pushed to her feet.

 

“I don’t know what happened but i think something hit me and knocked me out.” 

 

Regina was getting sick of having sore heads in this world. It felt like her magic was building in pressure inside, since she couldn’t access it freely. “Oh!” She cried, suddenly remembering. “Bandits, soldiers, i am not sure - they ambushed us and took Emma and Gabrielle - ahh” 

 

Xena nodded solemnly, hands reaching out to steady for a second Regina as she wilted, clutching her head. “Here, these pressure points,” Xena quickly pressed at two places on Regina’s forearm.  “These should help the pain.”

 

Regina sighed with relief as the pain began to recede slowly. “Xena, what do we do?”

 

“Well, we are going to rescue Emma and Gabrielle.”

 

“But how can i help? I am useless here,” Regina sighed, throwing her hands up before pressing a hand over her eyes.

 

“Don’t give up, we will get them back.” Her eyes alight with fire, Xena started walking in the direction the soldiers had gone, “now here’s what we are going to do…”

 

#  Rescue

 

Regina followed the taller woman as she sneaked stealthily alongside some wagons. They could hear the revelry from the soldiers loudly, the light of their celebratory campfire dancing warmly, carelessly against wood, grass and canvas tents. Xena signalled for them to stop and dropped to the ground, edging her way under the wagon. Regina eyed the ground then mentally reprimanded herself. She was no stranger to getting dirty. Why should she take a second thought about it right now?

 

Regina dropped and pushed in next to Xena amongst the overgrown grass and bushes, warily gazing out past the wheels of the wagon towards the drunken soldiers congratulating themselves on a valuable and easy haul. Several cages of slaves were apparent, miserable faces staring sullenly, worryingly, out at the flames, the large bonfire at the centre of all the tents.. Regina realised immediately why she had been left lying in the dirt; the prisoners were all blonde. She caught Xena’s eye, her eyebrow quirked, and knew the warrior had noted the same thing.

 

Someone had a blonde fetish.

 

Whatever. The reality of existence in this land seemed to rival that of the television show. Regina’s eyebrow rose towards her hairline as Xena rose and charged unsubtly into the fray of unprepared soldiers, lungs singing and blade whistling. There was confusion and rallying shouts as the stunned men reacted slowly to the sudden whirlwind of death they had called down on themselves.

Regina scrambled past the rush of bodies focussing on the warrior, adrenaline rushing through her with Xena’s war cry and the clash of blades, running to what looked like the biggest tent in the camp. She ducked against the canvas side, next to the entrance, and waiting til she was sure there was no one inside. No leader would surely let their men take all the fun when there was a fight to be had - at least not without observing if there was any glory to be taken. She wouldn’t have.

 

A disgruntled sigh warned her - the flap of the tent being thrown open and a broad-shouldered figure lumbered out, slinging a helmet on. Sighing with relief, Regina snuck inside the tent, eyes flitting from surface to surface, looking for some keys. She rushed to some small boxes on the large table with maps all over - nothing. Overturning boxes of trinkets revealed nothing either - what was she thinking? Regina could have slapped herself - the keys would have been most likely attached to the man who’d left the tent. No self respecting villain would ever leave something so important laying about. She certainly wouldn’t.

 

Cursing, Regina hurtled out the tent, towards the noises of battle.

 

“Xena!” Regina cried over the din of battle, arriving in the clearing where the warrior swung herself around an upright spear, taking out three soldiers in one go with swift kicks to the face. She could see the one who must Smagadeus elbowing past his men, unsheathing his sword. His helmet had horns set on either side. 

 

“The horned helmet has the keys,” she shouted, hoping Xena could hear her voice over the sounds of battle.

 

This was Xena Warrior Princess though, and true to her motto she had many skills. Ultra good hearing was apparently one of them and Regina spotted the gleam of metal as a set of keys were hooked off a belt by Xena’s sword tip and a flash of leg as she kicked them up into the air, sailing high and far. Regina, pleased she’d kept her skills from so many afternoons playing catch with Henry, even if they were years ago, caught the keys without missing a beat and took off towards the cages. She fumbled with the keys as she ran, trying not to trip on the tent ropes and crates, trying to feel which was the right one ready for when her eyes landed on the blonde women she wanted. All the keys seemed pretty similar.

 

She hurriedly passed her eyes over dozens of frightened faces, arms reaching of the cages, calling for help. She would. She absolutely would help them. But she had to help herself and her friends first. Emma came first.

 

Finally, her eyes landed on furious green and she felt her entire body relax as she took in Emma Swan’s face and arm stretched out through the bars towards her. She could hear Xena’s laughter behind her, the cries of pain and shouts and clashing of metal as she did her deadly dance with what seemed like an army. 

 

It was time to test her theory. The one she’d shoved right to the back of her mind when she’d first contemplated it, comfy, with Emma’s arms curled around her. She lurched forward, dropping the keys in her haste but instinctively grabbing Emma’s hand instead of picking them up. Regina felt her magic roaring to life, fire bubbling through her pores,and turned, her other arm outstretched, fingers splayed, lip curled in satisfaction. She was going to destroy everything in her path.

 

“Regina,” she heard clearly behind her, everything else a blur. “Regina you don’t need to kill them.” Emma’s voice. Regina blinked, feeling Emma’s other hand land on their joined one’s, feelings the reassuring pressure and the sheer power of their connection. She took a deep breath, observing the whirling dervish of destruction, a goddess of death, a woman grinning from ear to ear as she ran through man after man with her sword and didn’t regret one drop of blood or scream of pain.

 

She blinked, everything slowing to a crawl, took a deep breath, and with a wave of her hand she watched the crowd surrounding Xena sink bonelessly to the ground.

 

The warrior stood, her sword raised above her head - a vision of death with blood splattered all over her - leather and flesh painted red. She was breathing heavily and had her eyes focussed somewhere beyond what was in front of her. Gabrielle ran to the warrior, calling her name, fearlessly moving closer to the woman clearly locked in blood lust. It took a moment, Gabrielle calling Xena’s name gently, and she touched her hands gently to the brunette’s face.

 

“My love, come back to me, it’s okay, i’m safe. Everyone is safe.” 

Xena groaned, and let her arms relax, feeling herself return. She eyed the bodies, littering the ground, some gutted and some sleeping, before lifting her eyes to meet Regina’s. 

 

Regina felt more than heard Emma behind her, the other women rushing to unlock all the cages.

 

“How?” She asked abstractedly.

 

“You dropped the keys, Gabrielle managed to reach them.” Emma slipped her hand into Regina’s once more, feeling more like home than Storybrooke did. “I found Aphrodite,” Emma said, nodding towards a beautiful blonde, rubbing her wrists as someone unlocked the heavy metal cuffs from them. They fell to the ground, the metal bubbling and fizzing - magic going up like smoke until they disappeared into thin air.

 

“Oh hey!” the goddess sang as she clicked her fingers, shimmers of what Regina could only describe as  _ power  _ dancing over her dirty skin - no longer dirty. Her hair was suddenly clean and bouncy, clothing no longer dirt streaked and torn. “That feels, so much better,” Aphrodite sighed luxuriously, stretching her arms overhead, working out kinks that Emma was pretty sure didn’t exist after the magic show.

 

“Aphrodite!” called Gabrielle, as she led Xena back to the others, tugging on her lover’s hand to reach her friend faster. “Thank the gods you are okay,” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around the blonde, pulling her in for a tight hug.

 

“Well i don’t know if you forgot but i  _ am _ a god, Gabrielle,” Aphrodite giggled sweetly. 

 

“Oh,” Gabrielle shooed, waving her hand about, “you know what i mean. I’m so glad you are okay!”

 

“Well it seemed a bit touch and go there,” the goddess agreed, “I’m glad you all turned up.” She turned to observe Regina and Emma, loosely intertwined fingers, forgotten.

 

Aphrodite took one look at them and laughed, “well, what do we have here?”

 

Regina tugged her hand free of Emma’s and scowled, “what do you mean?”

 

The goddess chuckled, holding her hands up, “nothing, nothing, honeybee.” She set her hands on her hips. “Now y’all are very lucky you happened on me at this time. I heard your plight, and as it happens there is one way i can get you home, but it requires the aligning of the heavens and that only happens once every three hundred years… as luck would happen, that date is tomorrow!”

 

Both Emma and Regina sighed with relief, safe in the knowledge that they had a path home.

 

#  Party

 

The villagers of this settlement knew how to throw a party, that was for sure. A large bonfire had been constructed in the village centre, and it seemed like all the inhabitants were out tonight. Mead flowed freely, laughter and smiles creating an infectious mood. The return of their loved ones had many of the villagers approaching the four heroes, thanking them profusely. Xena had to turn down many offers of marriage, arm wrestles and stare down more than one young suitor interested in Gabrielle.

 

“Is it always like this?” Regina asked Gabrielle, nodding at the intimidating brunette resting her arm over the blonde’s shoulders and a young woman slinking off, tail between her legs.

 

“More often than you’d think. You say people in your land know we are lovers?”

 

“Well, mostly i think so. There are some particularly stubborn types who refuse to see what’s in front of them.”

 

Gabrielle grinned, running her nails down Xena’s forearm, “I know some of those types.”

 

Xena rolled her eyes, smirking. “I just wanted to say i’m proud of you. You had a choice, Regina, and you chose the way of peace, instead of the way of death, like i did. You need to give yourself more credit.” Xena squeezed her shoulder, before turning her head and kissing Gabrielle’s golden hair. “Enjoy the rest of the night here, tomorrow, you will return home.” Regina smiled, momentarily dazzled at the tall brunettes blinding grin, and blushed at the look Xena turned to give the blonde nestled under her arm. 

 

Gabrielle winked, letting herself be guided along behind her warrior. “See you in the morning.”

 

Regina bade them goodnight quietly as the moved off, before realising Emma was walking towards her, drinks in hand. The blonde was silhouetted by the flames, her hair caught in a mesmerising glow.

 

Her voice caught in her throat, the memory of her magic surging through her earlier and of just how gorgeous Emma was in this moment throwing her for a second. She couldn’t hide from her thoughts anymore than she could apparently outrun her fate in her old lands.

 

Emma came to a standstill in front of her, looking thoughtful. “Xena and Gabrielle gone to bed?”

 

Regina nodded, searching for words that were more than awkward small talk. What do you talk about when your apparent true love - the child of your once upon a time mortal enemies - hands you a tankard of sweet mead and licks her lips at you.

 

_ “You came for me,”  _ Emma looked in quiet wonder at Regina. They were standing in a darkened corner of the village square, the music from the small band and the crowds dancing giving them some privacy. The world seemed to shrink to just them.

 

“Emma…” Regina trailed off, her eyes darting between Emma’s eyes and lips and the flush on her cheeks. “Of course I did. You’re Henry’s mother.” Old habits diet hard, apparently. Regina kicked herself.

 

“I-“ Emma started but she fell forward, jostled by a drunken reveller, and was caught by Regina. Her breath caught in her throat. She was inches away from Regina’s lips, red, parted and inviting. The other woman was so beautiful, her hair wilder than she would normally allow in Storybrooke, her clothes so unlike anything Emma knew before.

 

Everything that Regina was in this land was vibrant in a way she wouldn’t let herself be in Storybrooke and Emma couldn’t help herself being drawn in. Regina inhaled sharply as Emma’s mouth found hers, and she let Emma guide her further into the dark privacy of the corner. Emma moaned as Regina’s mouth opened eagerly, and their tongues slid against one another, wet and warm. She braced a hand either side of the brunette, trapping her in and gasped when Regina brazenly grabbed her ass and pulled her closer.

Emma broke away for a moment, needing to catch her breath. She pressed their foreheads together. “I know now what it is now, that fizzing in my blood when we touch. It’s our magic isn’t it?”

 

Regina could only nod her agreement, gently brushing her nose against Emma’s.

 

“You know what this means then, Regina?” Emma was breathless and warm, and silenced from saying more by Regina’s mouth, leaving her stunned for a moment.

 

“Yes i do,” Regina whispered, nodding slowly. She started to push Emma back, the blonde blinking her confusion. Old habits were very hard to break indeed.

 

“What’re you-”

 

“You’re the saviour, Emma,” Regina sighed, turning her face from the blonde. “And i am the evil queen. Besides, you have Hoo-”

 

Emma pushed her back against the wall, her hands landing either side of Regina’s shoulders once more. 

 

“Fuck Hook,” she breathed roughly, her lips moist and swollen. “Fuck him, and destiny and goddamned  _ titles. _ You and i are just people, Regina. We are Henry’s mother's, and we mean more to each other than these characters in a fucking story. We owe ourselves a chance to follow our own paths. Both of us.”

 

Regina gasped at the passionate fury in Emma’s eyes, inches from her own, and she moaned long and deep as the other woman pressed forward to kiss her once more. She wound her arms around the strong body against her, pushing her against the wall behind.

 

“How do you make it so simple sounding?” Regina asked a moment later when they broke apart to catch their breaths.

 

“Because it just  _ is _ ,” Emma shrugged, reaching up to tuck a stray wisp of dark hair behind a delicate ear. “I am me and you are you, and we have this connection, Regina. A connection that we’ve had from that moment you sized me up at your front door and we can both try and ignore it but it’s still there, clear as day. Don’t you dare deny it.”

 

Regina shook her head, hands clutching Emma’s arms, “I can’t, not now.” She pulled the blonde back in, hungrily, ignoring the rest of the world mere feet away in the firelight.

 

 

#  Goodbye

“Okay are you love birds ready to say goodbye?”

 

Emma stood, tentatively holding Regina’s hand, and nodded at the bubbly goddess. She was absolutely not blushing.

 

“Y’all are lucky,” Aphrodite sighed, clasping her hands in front of her chest, “not everyone finds a love like this.”

 

“Which of us are you talking to?” Emma asked, tightening her hold on Regina’s hand. Aphrodite just smiled enigmatically before clapping her hands and holding them up to the sky.

 

A great shimmering light shot down from the clouds and dove into the ground, a blurry swirl forming at their feet.

 

“There we go, guided home by the heavens. Just jump in here and think of where you wish to go, but you better both have the same thought. The portal will stay open a little while, so you have time to say goodbye. Anyway, i’ve got places to go, people to see. Gab, i’ll come see you soon okay?.” The goddess’s smile turned sad for a moment before she forced it to become brilliant once more. “Laters babes.”

 

The goddess poofed away with a giggle and a wave and Emma and Regina turned to smile briefly at each other, shy, before turning to their friends.

 

“I guess this is it,” Emma began, tightening her hold on Regina’s hand. “I don’t know how i could ever thank you guys for helping us.”

 

Regina nodded her agreement. “Thank you, i don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t come across us” she echoed.

 

“Don’t mention it,” Gabrielle smiled, swiftly throwing her arms around Emma and pulling her in for a hug. “We were meant to find you. I’m glad we are getting you home to your Henry safely.

 

Regina let go of Emma’s hand to let her arm go around the other blonde before looking up to Xena who was eyeing her. The taller brunette stepped forward and pulled Regina into a hug as well. 

 

“I’m glad you have figured it out,” Xena said quietly into Regina’s ear. “You deserve happiness, no matter how dark your past is. She loves you for who you are. Let yourself be loved.”

 

Regina took a sharp breath as Xena’s words hit her, and coughed to cover the sudden tide of emotion collecting in her throat. “Thank you,” she coughed out, stepping back. She smiled quickly up at Xena before looking across at Emma and Gabrielle, just untangling themselves. 

 

“It’s time, Emma,” Regina prompted, impatient to get back. She wouldn’t settle until she had her feet back in Storybrooke.

 

“Sure,” Emma agreed. “Thanks again guys, thanks for everything.”

 

Emma turned from the heroic duo and moved towards the swirling blue portal set in the ground. She threaded her fingers with Regina’s again.

 

“I love you,” she said resolutely, looking at the brunette.

 

Regina couldn’t help but smile, letting herself feel those words, that emotion fill her up. She would still have to fight insecurity. Still have to battle skepticism but the way Emma was looking at her and the words Xena had said helped. 

 

“I love you too, Emma.” She leaned in to brush her lips against the blonde's, smiling at the slight hitch in breath from Emma, before pulling back and nodding once. “Let’s do this.”

 

“Henry,” both Emma and Regina echoed, smiling widely, before jumping together, hand in hand.

 


End file.
